PSTN Internet Notification (PIN) services that can be provided as part of interconnecting IP and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) systems with the intent of converging existing and creating new hybrid PSTN and IP services. PSTN Events Notification, based on well-defined PIN protocols, will promote interoperability of both the networks and systems built by different vendors.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for use with a communication system in which a plurality of PSTN-Internet Notification clients have subscribed to an incoming call notification event service having the subscription information saved in a database accessible to a Service Notification Function (SNF) entity and a PSTN-Internet Notification (PIN) server, comprising the steps of: a. a Calling Party initiating a call to a Called Party supported by a terminating switch (TS); b. said TS notifying said SNF entity of this event and the TS continuing to process the call to a Called Party in the normal manner including ringing the Called Party's telephone at a Called Party's terminal equipment if the Called Party's telephone is not busy; c. said SNF entity communicating to a PIN Gateway at least a number of the Calling Party and a number of the Called Party, said communicating between the SNF and PIN Gateway effected using a PSTN domain protocol; d. the PIN Gateway passing said number of the Calling Party and said number of the Called Party to the PIN Server using a PIN protocol; e. saving subscription information for subscribers in a database that is accessible to the SNF and the PIN Server; f. the PIN Server consulting the database to get an IP address of the subscriber; and g. the PIN Server notifying the subscriber of the Incoming Call; wherein communications between the PIN Server and subscribers use an IP protocol.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (c) a time of day the call is received and communicated between the SNF and PIN Gateway also using a PSTN domain protocol, and in step (d) the time of day the call is received and communicated to the PIN Server using a PIN protocol.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said IP protocol is a PIN protocol.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said IP protocol is an IP domain protocol.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IP protocol is a PIN protocol.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said IP protocol is an IP domain protocol.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said PIN client upon receiving notification of a PSTN event handles said notification of a PSTN event internally.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said PIN client handles said PSTN event by emitting an audible signal.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein said PIN client handles said PSTN event by emitting a visible signal.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein said PIN client handles said PSTN event by logging the notification to a disk file.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said PIN client upon receiving notification of a PSTN event initiates a process to handle said notification of a PSTN event.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said process said PIN client initiates one of an e-mail client process and a short messaging client process for notifying a short-messaging endpoint unit.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said short-messaging endpoint unit is one of a pager, a cellular telephone, and a personal communication system.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein by said process said PIN client initiates is one of a voice delivery to a PSTN endpoint process, and a facsimile delivery to a PSTN endpoint process.
15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of: g. said PIN client operating as a proxy to communicate the notification of said incoming Call to a further network entity.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the saving of subscription information for subscribers comprises storing a set of PIN events in which the subscriber is interested.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the saving of subscription information for subscribers comprises storing a profile table for the subscribers.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the saving of subscription information for subscribers comprises storing client identification information.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
August 5, 1999
November 16, 2004
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